Genesis gazed out the window at the sky, watching the thick columns of black smoke billowing from the chimneys of the industrial district, her expression grave.
Her lips parted slightly. "The Cinder Empire..."
Having traveled all the way from the south, Genesis had witnessed firsthand everything within the empire. She had truly felt the changes in the lives of the Anzetan people—a brand-new way of living, unlike anything she had ever seen.
Undeniably, for the people of Anzeta, who had once been plagued by hunger and cold, life had improved considerably.
Yet Genesis had also detected the danger lurking behind this seemingly wondrous facade—
War.
This country was like a machine custom-built for warfare, and every single soul was merely a cog in this colossal mechanism.
She had seen with her own eyes in the south what war looked like in the wake of firearms and cannons, which was the very root of her vigilance toward the empire.
With the aid of these terrifying weapons, even conflicts among mortals had become unimaginably brutal, as though hell itself had descended upon the realm.
Genesis could not fathom the catastrophe that would befall all of Feanso once this war machine kicked into full gear.
Forests filled with fragrant blossoms and birdsong would be ruthlessly obliterated by artillery fire; humans, elves, and halflings would all be shredded by volleys of bullets; and under the baptism of explosive shells, the earth itself would be torn into scorched, gaping craters...
Moreover, having mingled within mortal society for centuries, Genesis could tell that the empire's system had been deliberately engineered by the entity behind it—the Cinder Emperor, Cassius.
Genesis harbored hidden hostility toward that emperor, believing that this red dragon was very likely to become a menace to the world.
That red dragon had severely wounded her father, destroyed a human kingdom, and constructed an immense war machine.
Even though Oszedro had instructed her beforehand not to dwell on past grievances and instead to aid the empire with all their might in resisting the demonic invasion, Genesis still could not dispel the resentment in her heart.
The Melvold clan was the guardian of order in Feanso. How could they simply sit by and watch such an empire—one that would blatantly disrupt peace and shatter order—grow and flourish?
*Cassius, no matter how powerful you are, I will never give up...*
She resolved silently in her heart.
Genesis crossed her arms over her chest, letting her silver hair cascade down over her shoulders like a waterfall, a flash of determination showing in her beautiful eyes.
Even if her father did not support her, she would never yield.
Not only did she have to help repel the demonic invasion, but she also had to gather intelligence on the empire, uncover that red dragon's weakness, and do everything in her power to nip this threat in the bud.
Olivia was still far too green.
That young silver dragon had been blinded by the empire's glittering exterior and bewitched by the red dragon's silver tongue.
Genesis, however, was confident she would never make such a mistake.
Suddenly, an urgent chiming rang out. Olivia pulled a communication device from her pocket, and as she looked at the message displayed upon it, pure delight broke across her pretty face.
"Cassius is awake!" she declared, her tone brimming with excitement.
Olivia turned to look at Genesis. "And... Aunt Genesis, Lord Trump says Cassius would be delighted to meet with you."
"Right now?"
"Yes, right now."
Then, as if remembering something, a trace of worry crept into Olivia's eyes. She hesitated for a moment before lowering her voice: "Aunt Genesis, I really hope you can set aside your prejudices—especially during the audience later."
She looked into Genesis's eyes, which were of the same blue-gray hue, her expression solemn.
"Regardless of your opinion of the empire, clashing with Cassius at such a critical juncture would be unwise. The demons will always be Melvold's greatest enemy. Grandfather has dedicated nearly a thousand years to keeping them outside the Material Plane. That is his—"
"Of course I know that," Genesis cut her off with a soft sigh.
"Olivia, you are still too naive. My stance remains unchanged: the enemy of our enemy is not necessarily a friend, and fighting demons cannot change the empire's tyrannical nature. Naturally, I will still carry out the task Father assigned. I'm not foolish enough to provoke an open confrontation with that red dragon at a time like this."
Genesis, the "Pearl of Corda."
Yet she possessed another title that was widely renowned among the forces of good—the Scales of Silver Light.
As the daughter of Oszedro, she was universally recognized within the clan as the silver dragon whose temperament most closely mirrored that of Silver Wings himself.
Stubborn, fiercely loathing evil, yet brimming with intellect.
Knowing she could not change her aunt's mind, Olivia could only nod. "All right, then I'll take you there."
Leading the way, she set out for the Imperial Assembly Hall, where a portal led directly to Northwind Keep.
Genesis watched Olivia's back, her brow furrowing slightly.
Just now, upon hearing the news of Cassius's awakening, she had detected an unusual emotion in Olivia—was that... joy?
Had she truly submitted to that red dragon?
Regarding Olivia becoming a so-called "assemblywoman" of the empire, most clan elders had taken an approving stance, believing she could exert an influence and guide the empire toward justice.
Now, however, it seemed that might not be the case.
One had to remember that Olivia was a junior upon whom her father had pinned great hopes.
At barely eighty years of age, she had already become an archmage, showing promise of succeeding the leadership of the Melvold clan a millennium from now.
*Young dragons are always prone to mistakes. Hopefully, I'm just seeing things,* Genesis thought to herself.
...
Ripples swept through space, and Olivia and Genesis appeared out of thin air within the administrative hall of Northwind Keep.
"Good day, Lady Olivia."
"And... you must be the envoy here for an audience with His Majesty. Please, follow me."
A squad of half-dragon guards had been waiting for some time. Their captain stepped forward, speaking with deferential respect.
"Very well." Genesis gave a slight nod, offering a polite smile.
Yet she clearly sensed the guard's unmistakable red dragon traits—frilled ears, small scarlet scales, and a sulfurous breath.
An instinctive hostility surfaced in her eyes.
A half-red dragon.
At least in Feanso, such beings were predominantly hellish mercenaries, evil dragon minions, or high-ranking figures within the Church of Tiamat.
Ordinary red dragons lacked the capability to bestow such a high concentration of dragon blood; thus, those who received such a "blessing" were typically Tiamat's most devout zealots.
For centuries, Genesis had regularly fought against these ferocious-looking creatures, yet here in Anzeta, she was actually expected to become allies with half-red dragons?
Such a stark contrast was genuinely difficult for her to accept.
*Father gave his orders...*
*This is all for the mission...*
Genesis followed behind the guards, reminding herself in silence.
Olivia, on the other hand, was already entirely at home. Having served as an imperial assemblywoman for a year, she was well accustomed to interacting with these "evil races."
Soon, flanked by the guards, they arrived at the foot of Dragon Mountain—the site of the royal palace.
Genesis lifted her head, looking upon the magnificent palace forged of steel and rock that seemed merged into the very mountain itself, her expression turning somber.
She could tell at a single glance that this palace had not been erected by mortal labor, but conjured directly through some magic-like power.
Furthermore, she astutely noted how exquisite the craftsmanship was; even her father, a legendary mage, would likely have had to expend considerable effort to accomplish such a feat.
"This is His Majesty's residence?"
"It... should be."
Olivia's expression also held a flicker of surprise. In just one short year, the royal palace she had once lived in had undergone such an enormous transformation.
Although it was not completely unrecognizable from the outside, its scale was far greater than before, sprawling across nearly half of Dragon Mountain.
*Rumble—*
The heavy gates slowly ground open, and Olivia and Genesis entered one after the other.
Following the long corridor, they finally laid eyes upon the palace's main hall, preceded by hundreds of stone steps.
*We're about to meet again...*
*He... must have grown even stronger.*
For reasons she could not explain, looking at the hall doors carved with an imposing dragon's head made Olivia's heart flutter with nervousness.
Compared to what she remembered, this palace had grown much loftier and more imposing, yet it was still permeated with that familiar scent of sulfur.
Olivia was certain that this was Cassius's dwelling.
Genesis, meanwhile, felt the immense pressure weighing down on the surroundings.
Frightful Presence.
And it was an extraordinarily potent dragon aura—one that caused even an adult silver dragon like her to shudder with dread. Not even her father could produce such overwhelming pressure.
Even the previous grand elder she had once met, an ancient great wyrm silver dragon over two thousand years old, had never possessed a dragon aura so fearsome.
This red dragon was even more powerful than she had imagined.
At the thought, Genesis grew even more vigilant. She drew a deep breath as cold sweat seeped from her fair skin, her silver-gray eyes filled with profound gravity.
*Boom—*
The palace doors swung wide open with a resounding boom.
Chapter 498